54' Substitution

Fulham endured another miserable away day on Saturday afternoon as the Whites went down 4-0 to Liverpool at a sodden Anfield.

The travelling Whites fans were looking for a response to last week’s depressing defeat at Loftus Road, but they were once again left disappointed.

Liverpool went into the break two goals to the good after Martin Skrtel and Steven Gerrard had found the back of the net, while the impressive Stewart Downing and Luis Suarez added some deserved gloss to the scoreline in the second half.

Fulham had some brief impressive moments but, in fairness, the home side could have perhaps won by a greater margin.

Martin Jol opted for a 4-5-1 formation, adding Giorgos Karagounis, Ashkan Dejagah and Alexander Kacaniklic to the Fulham midfield, with Hugo Rodallega dropping to the substitutes’ bench and Damien Duff and Steve Sidwell ruled out through injury and suspension respectively.

A slick one-two between Jose Enrique and Suso saw the latter burst into the Fulham box after five minutes but a vital touch from Karagounis saw the danger averted at the expense of a corner – from which Daniel Agger headed harmlessly over.

Two minutes later the home side were more clinical from a set-piece, though. After Jonjo Shelvey’s flick had deflected off Aaron Hughes for a corner, Gerrard fired over a vicious dead ball which Skrtel controlled and lashed home with the composure of a frontman. It was no less than Liverpool deserved for a dominant start to proceedings.

The Reds were clearly looking to make amends for last week’s disappointing defeat by Aston Villa and were inches away from doubling their lead on 13 minutes when Downing’s stinging effort disturbed the raindrops on the side-netting.

Most of Fulham’s attacking purpose was coming down the right flank through Dejagah and it was the Iranian who created our first shooting opportunity of the game when he evaded the challenge of three red shirts before threading through to Kacaniklic who saw his shot blocked.

Fulham should have fallen further behind on 25 minutes and only Agger will know how he blazed over from two yards after Suarez’s ball across the face had found him perfectly.

The Whites almost capitalised when Kieran Richardson rifled in a wicked effort from 25 yards which caught Pepe Reina by surprise. The Spanish keeper did well to adjust his body and deflect the effort away – with a bit more luck the ball would have fallen to Dimitar Berbatov but it fizzed just yards beyond the Bulgarian’s reach.

Magnificent defending by Sascha Riether denied Suso an effort on goal five minutes later after Suarez’s delightful reverse pass had played him in. The full-back stayed on his feet to prevent the youngster making a proper connection with the ball.

Liverpool did extend their lead on 35 minutes with a neat goal made in England. Downing’s clever pass found Gerrard as he ghosted in beyond the Fulham backline and the Reds’ talismanic leader fired confidently beyond Mark Schwarzer and in at the far post.

And they could have been out of sight five minutes later. Suarez found the completely unmarked Suso in the area, only for the Spaniard to screw his left-footed effort wide of the post. It was a big let-off for Fulham.

The home side were really getting the crowd purring as half-time approached, with the latest moment of pristine football coming from the boot of Glen Johnson who exquisitely found Suarez after he had beaten the offside trap. Lucky for the Whites, the angle was against the striker whose shot was comfortably held by Schwarzer.

Fulham were in desperate need of a goal threat and Jol sought to introduce it at the interval in the form of Rodallega. The Colombian replaced Kacaniklic as Fulham went 4-4-2 with Richardson switching to the left.

However, it was the home side who were presented with a golden chance just two minutes in when Suarez inexplicably volleyed wide after Downing’s cross from the right had deflected directly into his path.

It didn’t take them long to add a third, though, and it came through the rejuvenated Downing. The winger – who was playing on the right – cut inside John Arne Riise before smashing beyond Schwarzer at his near post. The effort was not beyond our goalkeeper’s reach, but the venom in the strike made it impossible to keep out.

Things got worse for the Whites minutes later when Richardson was forced to depart after being on the end of a nasty tackle by Johnson that saw the England right-back booked. Kerim Frei entered the action in his place. Almost immediately the 19-year-old won a corner that was expertly dispatched by Chris Baird, only for Rodallega to glance his header well wide.

Downing was having the game of his life and almost made it four on 69 minutes only to see his excellent rasping drive fly narrowly over the corner of Schwarzer’s goal.

Fulham had to rely on the veteran shot-stopper in the closing stages to keep the score respectable, with the Australian first denying Gerrard, before brilliantly robbing Suarez of the ball before he could get a shot away.

Reina was called into a rare piece of action with 10 minutes remaining to beat Berbatov’s long-range effort out, but nobody in white was there to follow up the loose ball.

Berbatov – who was being roundly booed whenever he touched the ball – tested Reina once again a minute later, but this time the keeper was able to pull the shot into his chest.

After substitute Raheem Sterling had won a free-kick 20 yards from goal Suarez stepped up to curl a sumptuous effort towards the far post. The shot looked as though it was in from the moment it left his boot, only for that man Schwarzer to make a fine sprawling save to his left.

The Whites almost nabbed a stoppage time consolation goal after Dejagah was felled in a decent position. Rodallega stepped up and made a great connection with the free-kick, only to see Reina make a world-class save to keep it out.

Liverpool countered immediately and won a corner, which resulted in Suarez firing home from Enrique’s cutback to compound Fulham’s misery on Merseyside.